Me:You see, she may have mentioned getting ready for the “new semester” when she gets back home.
Roman:Holy shit. Don’t tell me you slept with a high school student!
I cackled under my breath. In place of funny, Roman had gotten all the uptight genes. He could be so dramatic sometimes.
Me:Really? Your mind jumped straight to high school, not college?
Nate:I was assuming she was a teacher. You slept with a college student?
Me:Why do you assume I slept with her?
Adrian:We know you too well.
Me:Hey, you’re the one opening a sex club. You don’t hear me besmirching your character.
Nate:Adrian is opening a business.
Me:A sexy business.
Roman:You didn’t deny sleeping with her.
I sighed, closing my eyes, flashes of last night coming back to me. As drunk as I’d been, my time with Mazzy stood out in stark detail. The taste of her skin, the sound of her sighs, the way her round, soft body moved beneath mine. I wasn’t inexperienced, so I could say with certainty there was something about her—aboutustogether—that stood apart.
I wasn’t usually close lipped about my hookups—not that my brothers wanted gory details or anything—but this time…
Me:We had a good time together. We’ll leave it at that.
Nate:Huh. Ben being discreet? Has the world ended?
Adrian:Do you like this girl?
Me:Of course I do. I wouldn’t have hung out with her if I didn’t.
Roman:Are you sure she’s legal?
I groaned. I couldn’t live without my brothers, but there were times, like now, I wanted to reach through the phone and chuck them off a cliff.
Me:All right. Turns out talking to you lot has made me tired. I’m taking a nap. Talk to you when I’m home.
When we landed, I took Mazzy’s bag from her and carried it to the terminal. When we were slightly away from the crowd, I dropped her bag on a seat and tugged on the end of her hair.
“Good flight?” I asked.
“A little lonely.” She scrunched her nose. “I can’t really complain, though. A very nice stranger paid for me to sit in business class. I’m thoroughly spoiled. I don’t know how I’ll go back to coach.”
I chuckled, though I didn’t feel it as deeply as normal. “Well, your next flight is in first, baby. You don’t have to worry about that just yet.”
She sighed and leaned into me, her hands light on my chest. “Thank you, Ben. Not just for the seat, but for making everything…easier.”
I wrapped my hand around hers and brought it to my mouth, giving her knuckles a light nibble. “You know you don’t deserve what he did, right?”
Her lips pressed together in a thin line. “I feel really stupid for how long it went on. I should have known.”
“Nah, Mazzy-mazz. He should have broken up with you if he wanted someone else. Though I can’t even come close to fathoming what that chick could have that you don’t. Bet he’s feeling it now—the error of his ways blasting him right in his stupid face.”
“Ugh. I really don’t want to think about him.” She blinked up at me, her eyes shining behind her glasses. “Be careful playing sportsball, okay? Your brain is too lovely to get splattered all over the field.”
“Pitch,” I corrected, the corner of my mouth hitching. “You be careful too.Everythingabout you is lovely.”
